From the Asheville Citizen-Times:

Long lines were starting to form around Asheville gas stations Wednesday morning as several drivers wanted or needed to fill up their tanks before shortages could be seen across the mountains due to the Alabama pipeline explosion on Monday.

Prices, on the other hand, had not jumped significantly across the mountains on Wednesday. The average price for a regular gallon of gas in Asheville was $2.28 Wednesday, up 1 cent since Tuesday, according to AAA Carolinas. However, from a week ago prices remain down from $2.29.

The phrase “on the other hand” should’ve sounded like a massive clunker to the editor.

To recap:

  1. we have temporarily lost 70 percent of gasoline supply
  2. prices are a penny less than they were a week ago, with retailers fearful of being targeted by the attorney general for “price gouging”
  3. people are having to wait in long lines hoping to get the gas before the gas runs out
  4. since few people know the role of prices as information, few people understand that the consequence in C is brought about because of B